Jørn Tomter was born in Norway in 1975. After using a camera for the first time in the Norwegian National Service as a teenager he found his way to the famous LCC (formerly LCP) in London to study photography. He graduated in 2000 and stayed on in London working as a freelance photographer. His work was exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum and the ICA among others and he was a founder and director of the successful 'Beachclub' club night; bringing cutting-edge Scandinavian art and culture to London.

Tomter's work focuses on real people on location; discovering beauty in obscurity. His personal work infiltrating groups and people outside the common spectrum has formed a template for his wider work in portraiture, and is also reflected in his commercial portraits of people such as Damien Hirst. His assignments have had him hanging out of a helicopter over the Arctic, photographing girls in Havana, dining with the King and Queen of Norway and driving Sir Paul Smith’s car while on a shoot with him in England. The subjects have been varied, but his style has strongly emphasises his love of getting close to them to get the best results. His work has been published in Creative Review, Pictured, The Guardian Weekend and the award-winning Carl's Cars to name a few.

Tomter’s first photography book The Norwegian Way was published by Generation Yacht in 2007. Taking five years to complete, it documents a unique tradition in Norway called ‘Russ’. At the end of high school the graduates dress in boiler suits and drive around in custom made buses partying for three weeks, with chaotic results. Tomter followed them up and down the country for his touching and funny portraits of young people on the threshold of adulthood. The Norwegian Way’s shots of wild half-naked girls in the streets caused a lot of media attention at the book’s launch in Norway as a father tried to have the pictures censored.

At present Jorn is working on more portraiture projects in his new hometown Berlin, lecturing photography in Norway and continues to travel commissioned by international clients.

Behind The Lens

By Veronique de Viguerie

French photographer Veronique de Viguerie talks to us about some of her experiences as a photojournalist, including being one of the first members of the international media to report on piracy in Somalia, her experiences working as a woman in Muslim countries, and her most memorable assignment.
French photographer Veronique de Viguerie talks to us about some of her experiences as a photojournalist, including being one of the first members of the international media to report on piracy in Somalia, her experiences working as a woman in Muslim countries, and her most memorable assignment.
French photographer Veronique de Viguerie talks to us about some of her experiences as a photojournalist, including being one of the first members of the international media to report on piracy in Somalia, her experiences working as a woman in Muslim countries, and her most memorable assignment.